We are well underway into our second week in this country. My group spent the last three days in Cambridge, which is a quaint town inland on the North Island. After no heating or beds for five days at the Waharau Reserve, it was definitely nice to have central heating, an indoor bathroom, and stationary beds with sheets. Our stay was filled with lectures from Waikato Region (where Cambridge is located) government officials, as well as environmentalists who work in a variety of fields.

            One day we ventured to Maungatautari, a forested volcano cone and reserve that is the sacred mountain of the Ngati Koroki Kahukura people. We were hosted at the Pohara marea (a marea is a Maori meeting house that each Maori community has) in Maungatautari. We were welcomed at a powhiri, which a meeting ceremony. I was one of the three “callers” in our group. An elder woman, who was a member of the Pohara marae started chanting as we slowly approached her and the rest of the members of the marae. Me, and two other girls in my group stood in front of our group and took turns singing verses in the native language of Maori. We then sat facing the members of the marea and sang songs back and forth and one of our teachers is Maori and is fluent in the language so he spoke traditional verses to them. They were impressed by the few songs that we sung, which we learned at the last place we stayed. We then had tea with them and learned more about their particular Marae and discussed the journey of co-governance between the Maori and Kiwi’s (the rest of New Zealand). New Zealand is currently trying to reconcile their relationship with the Maori and give them back land that was originally taken away by original settlers. We spent that same afternoon at the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust and hiked around while learning about the Trust from an environmental educator.

           It has been really interesting to learn about all of the environmental issues in New Zealand. New Zealand eco-tourism motto is “100 Percent Pure”, showing beautiful images of the landscapes. However, we have been learning that astounding amounts of land have been cleared for dairy farming, and other agricultural use, and the rolling green hills were in fact once dense forests that were cleared for farming practices. It’s been eye-opening to hear from members of the parliament and other government bodies and learn about different initiatives and organizations that have come to be to combat the degrading ecosystems. We are headed to Raglan next, which I heard is a beach town very similar to Stinson Beach (a little beach town near me in California). I’m excited to see what our next leg of our “field trip through the North Island” holds. 

        I can’t believe that I’ve only been in this country for six days so far. I feel like so much has happened and I’ve had so many new experiences. I became acquainted with my study abroad group in Auckland last Monday evening (after exploring Auckland with a few members of my group who arrived early) as we enjoyed a Mexican meal out. I, thinking I wouldn’t have Mexican food in New Zealand, had Mexican food four days in a row before I left the states. My group is an eclectic group of individuals from all over the United States, and one from China who are all generally studying Environmental Studies with varying concentrations (There are 16 of us total). We spent Tuesday beginning our introduction to New Zealand and learning some Maori traditions. One of which included learning a “Hongi” where you touch your nose to another persons nose as you ‘breath life into the other person’. I, being clumsy, was the demonstration and accidentally head-butted one of our teachers…whoops. We then ventured to a beautiful beach called Karekare on the west coast of Auckland and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon walking around and exploring and a few of us spontaneously jumped into the ocean.
          Wednesday we left the bustling city and headed for the Waharau Reserve(which is near Thames) a little south of Auckland on the coast. We spent the rest of the week having lectures on Maori history and New Zealand ecology in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, as well as learning traditional Maori songs, which we would sing to our various guests throughout the week. We spent our free time exploring the maze of trails behind our cabins, walking down to the water, and going on runs along the coast. We have attempted many times to watch Lord of the Rings since it was filmed here, however due to jetlag and our packed days I don’t think I’ve lasted longer than 20 minutes into any film.

We also took a fun side day-trip on Saturday to Thames, which is an established town close by. We explored a hopping farmers market in the morning set up in front of shops on the main road, followed by a lecture from a guest speaker named Catherine, who is a member of the Green Team parliament in New Zealand and who has participated in various conservation peaceful protests. We also got to participate in a wonderful Maori tree plating tradition for one of our professors father’s who recently passed away. It involved everyone in our group holding a piece of dirt in their left hand, because the Maori believe that the left half of the body is the ‘loving side’. Peter, our professor, and his two siblings who were also present held the dirt in their right hand because the right side of the body is the side that likes to ‘hold on’. We all released the dirt from our right hand on the new tree’s bed, as our dirt symbolized reaching out and supporting Peter and his siblings through this difficult time, while Peter and his siblings release of dirt onto the new tree symbolized becoming at peace with their father’s passing. It was a beautiful ceremony and it really felt special to be a part of it. On another note, that night we all ventured to a local sports pub in Thames and watched the All Blacks defeat Argentina as we hung out with the local rugby club, which consisted of old men past their prime who still enjoyed playing for the thrill of the sport. As a rugby player, it was really fun to be amidst others who understood the sport and were as invested as I was in each play.

Thus far, the beauty of this country has amazed me, as well as all of the wonderful people we have met. Tomorrow we are traveling to Cambridge where we’ll hear from more individuals involved in the government and learn more about agriculture in New Zealand, especially dairy farming. Throughout the next four weeks, we’ll be visiting Cambridge, Raglan, Lake Taupo, Turangi, Mt. Ruapehu, Whakapapa Tongariro National Park, Whanganui, and Palmerston North before our spring break (when I hope to visit the South Island) and our eight week homestay in Wellington. 

I don't have time to write a post now, but here's a few pictures from my first week in this beautiful country taken in and around Auckland and near Thames. So far it's been a great adventure!

(from September 1, 2013)

I have safely arrived in Auckland I just checked into my hostel where I will be staying for a few days with my HECUA group. I am so happy and relieved to finally be in this wonderful country that I have been dreaming about for the last year of my life. After weeks of preparations I checked into my flight in San Francisco last evening with a hiking backpack and daypack to sustain me for four months, three seasons, and city and backcountry living. To say it was challenging to fit all those parameters into a bag would be an understatement.

I feel like I’m in for one of the best adventures of my life and I have absolutely no idea what it will entail. I know that my group is traveling around the North Island of New Zealand for 5 weeks or so, I have a week to travel myself, and then I’m doing a homestay for 8ish weeks in Wellington and doing an internship there as well. Before departing America I watched 180° South, a movie about a man who voyages down to Patagonia for the ultimate adventure by way of a sailboat. While watching the movie I heard a quote that really resonated with me: “Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all”. So as I do not know my itinerary and I anxiously await more detail about my program and what exactly we will be doing in this beautiful country, I am perfectly content with the thrilling unknown. As I had a glass of Chardonnay with dinner (my first legal drink, whooo) I cheers to the unknown and to the adventures to come because I know that they will last me a lifetime.